October 16, 2008

Aetna (NYSE: AET) today announced that Major General Gale S. Pollock (Ret), the former Deputy Surgeon General of the U.S. Army and Chief of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, has joined its Military Health Care Advisory Committee. Aetna created the committee last year to help guide its business relationships with the federal government, including its bid for the Department of the Defense's TRICARE health care contracts for active duty service members, retirees and their families.

General Pollock, who also served as a Commander in the U.S. Army Medical Command, will join the committee effective with the November meeting.

"With her distinguished military service and medical expertise, General Pollock will provide valuable counsel to Aetna as we continue to find ways to connect our extensive clinical and health care technology capabilities with the unique needs of the nation's military personnel and their families," said Susan M. Peters, president of Aetna Government Health Plans. "We are extremely pleased that she has joined our advisory committee."

Aetna's Military Health Care Advisory Committee, which is comprised of former military officials, military physicians and others familiar with the health care needs of military personnel, wounded warriors and their families, has five additional external members:

-- Enrique Mendez, Jr., M.D., Major General, U.S. Army, Retired; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs;

-- Paul K. Carlton, Jr., M.D., FACS, Lieutenant General, U.S. Air Force, Retired; former Surgeon General of the Air Force;

-- Lester Martinez-Lopez, M.D., Major General, U.S. Army, Retired; former Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command;

Original member Barbara J. Ramsey, MSN, RN, a formerly retired Colonel in the U.S. Army, Army Nurse Corps and former Deputy Director of Combat Development, was reactivated into service by the U.S. Army earlier this year and no longer serves on the committee. Peters continued, "We value Barbara Ramsey's contributions to our committee and appreciate her service to our country."

Aetna's representation on the committee includes Susan Peters, Aetna Government Health Plans, and Robert Mead, Aetna's head of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

General Pollock has had a distinguished U.S. Army career with broad experience in health care administration. She served as the Deputy Surgeon General for Force Management, Commander in the U.S. Army Medical Command and Acting Surgeon General in 2007, and Chief, Army Nurse Corps 2004. Other assignments include Commanding General, Tripler Army Medical Center, Pacific Regional Medical Command; U.S. Army Pacific Surgeon; Lead Agent, TRICARE Pacific, Honolulu; Special Assistant to the Surgeon General for Information Management and Health Policy; Commander, Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, GA.; and Department of Defense Healthcare Advisor to the Congressional Commission on Service Members and Veterans Transition Assistance. Currently General Pollock serves as the Executive Director of the nation's first Center for Ocular Regeneration and Vision Restoration at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

General Pollock received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Maryland, an MBA from Boston University, a master's in health care administration from Baylor University, a master's in national security and strategy from the National Defense University, and an honorary doctorate of public service from the University of Maryland. General Pollock has earned several awards and decorations, among them the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and several meritorious service and commendation medals. She was named 2007 "Woman of the Year" by the American Legion Auxiliary.

Aetna has more than 150 years of experience serving large, complex accounts, including currently serving approximately 80 percent of the Fortune 100, along with government and municipal accounts. The company has a rich history of government service, including serving the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) since 1961, paying the first-ever Medicare claim in 1966 and being one of the carriers selected for the first military contract under CHAMPUS (predecessor program to TRICARE) in 1985.

Currently, Aetna serves 315,000 federal enrollees in the FEHBP across 37 states and the District of Columbia, and provides dental coverage to approximately 140,000 federal enrollees nationwide through the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program. Aetna offers Medicare products, including Part D, across the U.S. and the District of Columbia, serving nearly 729,000 members combined. The company also recently completed the acquisition of Schaller Anderson, Incorporated, a leading provider of health care management services for Medicaid plans. In January 2007, Aetna became the first national health plan to sign a participating provider agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for Aetna members, making all VA providers and facilities in-network participating providers for all health plans administered by Aetna.

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 37.2 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. www.aetna.com